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Cameroon's new forest and wildlife regime

An analysis by GDA and its partners.

Une analyse de GDA et de ses partenaires. The reform of the forest and wildlife regime was initiated in Cameroon since 2008 by decision No. 0941/D/MINFOF/SG/DF/SDAFF of September 2, 2008 to revise Law No. 94/01 of January 20, 1994, which was already 30 years old. Numerous consultations and discussions were conducted for this purpose within civil society and other stakeholders in forest and wildlife governance.

The resulting draft law No. 2058/PJL/AN on the forest and wildlife regime was submitted for consideration to Parliament, that is, to the National Assembly and the Senate. The production and trade commission of the National Assembly would have received the draft of this bill on June 20, 2024 and heard by the Minister of Forests and Wildlife on June 22, 2024.

Following its adoption by Parliament, the bill was promulgated on July 24, 2024, bringing the new forest and wildlife regime into force. A consortium of civil society organizations from the forests, environment and human rights sector (APED, CeDLA, CERAD, ECODEV, FLAG, GDA, SAILD) closely monitored the process leading up to the promulgation of law N° 2024/008 of July 24, 2024 on the forest and wildlife regime, through a critical reading of the bill, the substance of which was submitted to parliamentarians.

It highlighted the text’s innovations and weaknesses, making it a mixture of glimmers of hope in view of the salutary developments it enshrines, and lures in view of the pitfalls identified. However, the recommendations made by the consortium of organizations have not been taken into account. With a view to enlightening the general public on the innovations of the new forest and wildlife regime, while drawing the attention of the Ministry of Forests and Wildlife and other stakeholders in the management of these resources to the weaknesses identified, the present analysis note has been drafted. It reports on the reflections of the above- mentioned consortium of civil society organizations and focuses on the working methodology used, the major innovations and the perfectible aspects of the aforementioned law, before formulating recommendations.

Download the analysis of the new forest and wildlife regime in Cameroon by GDA and its partners (pdf - 0.96 Mi)